Lifeboat launching apparatus



june 1936- J. 1.. HYLAND v EBOAT LAUNCHING APPARATUS LIF Filed March 12,1951 I Patented June 30, 1936 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFEBOATLAUNCHING APPARATUS John L. Hyland, New York, N. Y.

Application March 12, 1931, Serial No. 522,027

17 Claims. (01. 9-22) This invention relates to an improvement in Oneend of the cable I4 is coiled about a cone lifeboat launching apparatus,of the type set I5 fixed to a shaft it, which shaft is mounted forth inmy former application Serial No. 478,452, in brackets I? carried by thewall 9. The cable filed August 28, 1930. 14 has one end fixed to thecone I5. The opposite 5. In the apparatus set forth in the saidapplicaend of the cable I4 is coiled about a cone l8 ar- 5 tion, thelifeboat is normally carried over a side ranged at the opposite end ofthe shaft l6 from of the deck of the boat and is adapted to be the conel5 and has its end fixed to said cone turned around through 180 to bedisposed off l8 and is coiled therearound in a direction oppoof the sideof the deck in position to be lowered. site to the direction of coilingaround the cone 10' It is the object of this invention to facilitate l5.It will be noted that the cones l5 and I8 10 this turning of thelifeboat and to provide power are turned with the small ends in oppositedirecmeans therefor, which will not only effectively tions, so that whenthe shaft I6 is rotated, the turn the boat but will also securely holdthe boat cable is uncoiled from the large end of one cone in either ofits extreme positions, and when stored and is coiled onto the small endof the other, at

on the deck this holding means efiectively ties the starting of theturning movement, but near 15' the boat in place, and also holds thedavits in its completion, this is reversed. This provides a place at alltimes. sufficient amount of slackin the cable to main- In theaccompanying drawing: tain the same taut throughout the turning move-Fig. l is a top plan view of the apparatus; me t- Fig. 2 is a detailside elevation of a portion of The shaft l6 has a Worm Wh '9 fi ed t eeto 20 thelowering mechanism; and and with which a worm 20, as shown inFig. 2, i Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the supportmeshes toturn the shaft It. A handle 2| is conl ingstructure and sheaves. nectedwith the worm 20 to turn the same. While A lifeboat cover is designatedgenerally by the the worm and worm wheel are shown as the numeral I andhas the lifeboat supported thereur f p w for t nin he life at, y t any25 beneath and is carried by a suitable frame 2, other suitable p wermay be employed as may be which has an angular support 3 fixed theretoand found desirable, but the worm serves as a lock is pivotallysupported about the axis of a bolt to hold the lifeboat in any setposition. I 4, which bolt extends through one side of an The form oflowering mechanism illustrated angle-iron supporting truss 5 extendinglongiin my app Serial 2, filed August 30 tudinally of an edge of thedeck, and is spaced 1930, may be p y if desired, and 2 P thereabove adistance sufiicient to accommodate tion of which is shown at 22. Whichustrates the boat and its supporting mechanism. The the hand-wheel forlowering the cables attached frame 2 carries guard rails 6 therein, allof which to the lifeboat. turns upon turning the boat about its pivot 4.S a means of pp the turning vement 35 The truss 5 is provided with tierods 1 on oppoin either direction, a crank rod 23 is interposed sitesides of the launching apparatus and has an between the truss 5 and thedeck of the boat and intermediate tie rod 8, which is connected with iSp vota y ted in po t n o be engaged by the bolt 4. Each of these tierods has one end the frame 2 when turned to an extreme position. 450vfixed to the truss 5 and has itsopposite end The crank rod 23 may sw toeither side of 0 extending through or fixed to a wall or support thecenter of the frame 2 to allow the frame to 9 extending upwardly fromthe deck of the boat be disposed in. a proper intermediate position andwhich may be one side of a cabin, where 10- and yet to stopthe turningmovement thereof. cated sufficiently close to the edge of the deck. Inthe operation of the pp the l eboat In order to apply power to turn thelifeboat, is ormally disposed in a position over the deck a centralsheave I0 is supported by the truss 5 of the boat and behind the axis ofthe bolt 4 between the same and the angular support 3 at about which itur s- When in the position the axis of the bolt 4, and secondary sheavesshown in full lines in Fig. l, the lifeboat is ready II are arranged onopposite sides thereof, each to be lowered and has been turned to aposition 5 of which sheaves H is carried by the truss 5. outside of thedeck. This turning movement is Sheaves l2 and I3 are fixed to andcarried by accomplished by the cable M which is succesthe angularsupport 3. A cable 14 extends about sively unwound and 'wound onto thecones l8 the sheaves I0, I I, I2 and I3 and is given a comand 15, uponrotation of the shaft l6 by the worm plete turn around the sheave l2 toanchor the wheel [9, Worm 20 and handle 2|. In moving 55. same to saidsheave. the lifeboat from the full line position of Fig. 1

into a stored position, the handle 2| is rotated to cause an unwindingof the cable from the cone l8, and a winding thereof onto the cone it.As the cable extends about the sheaves ll, l3 and IE and being securedto the sheave 12, it causes a pulling on the latter to turn the same ina general outwardly direction, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1 tendingto move the parts to their dotted line positions in Fig. 1.

As the sheave l3 moves around sufficiently far, the cable l4 engagesonly one of the sheaves II, and the sheave l3 moves out of contact withthe cable until the parts have assumed a position almost the reverse ofthe full line position in Fig. 1, when the sheave l3 has moved to theposition occupied by the sheave and the sheave I2 has moved to theposition of the sheave l3. The sheaves ll, l2 and [3 over which thecable extends maintain the same taut so as to effectively bind thelifeboat to the deck at all times, and when it has been moved to itsstored position, the cable serves to effectively hold the same inposition.

Where there is not sufiicient room between the edge of the deck and thecabin for the lifeboat to turn, the latter may be placed off-center orwith a greater portion of it at one side of its axis to permit of thisturning action.

If it should be desired, as in a battleship, the apparatus may be placedin the hull of the ship instead of on the deck, in which event it may becompletely loaded before being turned, and the guard rails will protectthe passengers during loading.

I claim;

1. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a supportingframe for the lifeboat, a supporting truss, a pivotal support for theframe having a vertical turning axis and connected with the truss topermit turning'of the lifeboat relative to the truss, a power cableconnected with the frame for causing said turning movement, and guidingsheaves carried by the truss and frame.

2. In lifeboat launching apparatus, thecombination of a supporting framefor the lifeboat, a supporting truss, a pivotal support for the framehaving a vertical turning axis and connected with the truss to permitturning of the lifeboat relative to the truss, a power cable connectedwith the frame for causing said turning movement, sheaves carried by thetruss and frame and about which said cable extends, and power operatedmeans connected with the cable for moving the same about the sheaves.

3. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a supportingframe for a lifeboat, a pivotal support for said frame, a cableoperatively connected with said frame for causing turning movementthereof, and cone-shaped members receiving the opposite ends of saidcable, said cable having its opposite ends wound onto the small andlarge ends respectively of said cone-shaped members.

4. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a supportingframe for a lifeboat, a

I2 in'Fig. 1,v

5. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a supportingframe for a lifeboat, means for pivotally supporting said frame forturning movement, and a crank rod mounted for turning movement on itsaxis and in position to be enaged by the frame during said turningmovement to stop the turning movement of the frame in differentdirections.

6. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a stationaryframe, a supporting frame for a lifeboat, pivotal means for saidsupporting frame for turning movement relative to the stationary frame,and a crank rod having a vertical turning axis carried by the stationaryframe to engage the supporting frame and limit the turning movementthereof.

'7. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a supportingframe for a lifeboat, a pivotal support having a vertical turning axisfor said frame, a power cable for turning the frame on its pivotalsupport, and sheaves carried by the frame and constructed and arrangedthereon for maintaining the cable taut during said turning movement.

8. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of asupporting framefor a lifeboat, a pivotal support for said frame, a power cable forturning the frame on its pivotal support, and stationary and movablesheaves for engaging the power cable, said sheaves being constructed andarranged for maintaining the cable taut during said turning movement.

9. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a stationaryframe, a supporting frame for a lifeboat, a pivotal support for saidsupporting frame, a power cable for turning the supporting frame on itspivotal support, and sheaves carried by the stationary and supportingframes and arranged to engage the, cable during turning movement tomaintain the cable taut.

10. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combi-- nation of a lifeboatsupport mounted on the hull of a ship, a pivot for the support having anupright turning axis, sheaves mounted on said sup port on opposite sidesof said pivot, and a cable extending over said sheaves for turning thesupport on the pivot.

11. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a lifeboatsupport mounted on the hull of a ship, a pivot for the support having anupright turning axis, sheaves mounted on said support on opposite sideshorizontally of said pivot, a cable extending over said sheaves forturning the support on its pivot, and guide means carried by the supportin position to engage the cable intermediate the spaced sheaves duringsaid turning movement to maintain the cable taut.

12. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a lifeboatsupport, means for pivotally supporting said support for turningmovement about an upright axis, an upright crank-rod having its oppositeend portions journaled for turning movement and having an intermediatecrank portion in position to be engaged by the Swinging movement of thesupport to limit said swinging movement.

13. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a fixedsupporting frame carried by the deck of a ship, a second frame pivotallysupported by the fixed frame and having the major portion thereof lyingin a vertical plane and supporting a lifeboat for turning movement abouta fixed vertical axis located in said vertical plane and at the edge ofthe deckand at one side of the lifeboat intermediate the ends of thelifeboat in stored position.

14. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a fixed framehaving an approximately horizontal truss supported above the deck of aship, a second frame pivotally supported by the fixed frame and mountedbeneath the truss of the frame and pivotally connected thereto forturning movement about a vertical axis fixed relative to the hull of theship, means connected with the second frame for supporting a lifeboat,and power operated means for causing turning movement of the secondframe relative to the fixed frame.

15. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a frame carriedby the hull of a ship for supporting a lifeboat, a vertical pivot forsaid frame at one side edge of the lifeboat intermediate the ends of theframe with the ends of the frame extending horizontally on oppositesides of said pivot to permit the turning thereof, a cable operativelyconnected with and for turning the frame about the pivot, and means forapplying power to said cable to cause said turning movement.

16. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combination of a frame carriedby the hull of a ship and extending horizontally in a vertical plane forsupporting a lifeboat, a fixed pivotal support for said frame having avertical turning axis and arranged to swing the lifeboat off of the deckof the ship when the frame is turned about the axis of said pivotalsupport to one position, a power cable connected with the frame forcausing turning movement thereof, sheaves for guiding the power cable,and power operated means connected with the cable for moving the same toturn the lifeboat.

17. In lifeboat launching apparatus, the combition of a stationaryframe, a movable frame for supporting a lifeboat, means for pivotallysupporting said movable frame for turning movement, and a crank-rodhaving vertically extending end portions, one of which is connected withthe stationary frame, said end portions forming pivotal supports for thecrank-rod for swinging movement of said crank-rod in opposite directionsabout a vertical axis to be engaged by the movable frame on reaching thelimits of its turning movement.

JOHN L. I-IYLAND.

